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24 assessment of climate change in the southwest united statesscenarios to project likely ranges of future GHG emissions. Other published scenariosand approaches are also incorporated in this report.The report is guided, in part, by issues identified by stakeholders iv within the region,solicited through a workshop convened in June 2011, three teleconferences conductedduring the second half of 2011, and review of reports from other climate change workshopsand needs assessments. Early in the process, regional stakeholders mentionedthat they would have little incentive to read a long report. Thus, we have limited thelength of the report and have provided brief summaries online (http://www.swcarr.arizona.edu),which stakeholders suggested would be useful.National Climate AssessmentBox 2.1The National Climate Assessment (NCA) is beingconducted under the auspices of the GlobalChange Research Act of 1990 (GCRA). The GCRArequires a report to the President and Congressevery four years that analyzes the effects ofglobal change on the natural environment, agriculture,energy production and use, land and waterresources, transportation, human health andwelfare, human social systems, and biologicaldiversity. The report examines current trends inglobal change (both human-induced and natural)and projects major trends for the next 25 to 100years.National climate assessments serve as statusreports on climate change and its impacts. The assessmentsrely on observations made across thecountry and compare these observations to projectionsfrom climate-system models. As with previousassessments, the third NCA (2013) evaluatesthe current state of scientific knowledge relativeto climate impacts and trends. But it additionallyevaluates the effectiveness of U.S. activities tomitigate and adapt to climate change and identifyeconomic opportunities and challenges that ariseas the climate changes.The objectives of the NCA are to provide informationand reports in the context of a continuing,inclusive national process that will:• synthesize relevant science and information;• increase understanding of what is known andnot known;• identify needs for information related to preparingfor climate variability and change andreducing climate impacts and vulnerability;• evaluate progress of adaptation and mitigationactivities;• inform science priorities;• build assessment capacity in regions andsectors;• build societal understanding and skilled use ofassessment findings; and• recognize the global and international contextof climate trends and connections between climaterisk and impacts in the United States andelsewhere.The 2013 NCA differs from previous climateassessments in that it: (1) is a continuing effortrather than a periodic report-writing activity; (2)fosters partnerships with non-governmental entities;and (3) provides web-based data and information.For a list of the U.S. assessments, seehttp://globalchange.gov/publications/reports.